What does abalone mean?
An abalone is a large marine snail of the genus Haliotis, found in cold coastal waters around the world and distinguished by its flat, ear-shaped shell, whose inner surface is coated in brilliantly iridescent mother-of-pearl. The word refers both to the animal itself and to its flesh, which is prized as a luxury seafood, particularly in East Asian and Californian cuisines. Because demand far outpaces supply — wild abalone are slow-growing and vulnerable to overfishing — the term carries connotations of rarity, expense, and delicacy, and many species are now strictly regulated or farm-raised. Beyond the kitchen, abalone shell has long been valued ornamentally: it appears in jewelry, buttons, guitar inlays, and Indigenous art traditions from New Zealand to the Pacific Northwest. The name entered English in the nineteenth century from Spanish, ultimately reflecting the animal's enduring appeal as one of the ocean's most beautiful and coveted creatures.
An edible marine gastropod mollusc of the genus Haliotis, with a flattened, ear-shaped shell lined with iridescent nacre.
"Red abalone once thrived in the waters off Monterey."
Also used for the shell material itself in decorative contexts.
The flesh of the abalone, eaten as a delicacy.
"Canned abalone is a popular gift during Lunar New Year."
In culinary contexts 'abalone' often functions as a mass noun.
The plural 'abalones' is standard when counting individual animals; in culinary use, 'abalone' is frequently treated as a mass noun and left uninflected.
"Divers counted dozens of abalones clinging to the rocks at low tide."
Abalone shells are so iridescent that their mother-of-pearl has been prized for jewelry and inlay for thousands of years — and the animal inside is one of the most expensive seafoods on Earth.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of abalone
The word 'abalone' comes from Spanish 'abulón', which was borrowed into English along the Pacific coast of North America in the nineteenth century. The Spanish term itself derives from the Rumsen (Ohlone) word 'awtun', referring to the same mollusc, making this one of the relatively few English words of Native Californian origin. It should not be confused with the unrelated French-derived 'ormer', another name for European Haliotis species.
How abalone is actually used
The word is used both for the living animal (and its shell) and for its meat as food. In North America it is strongly associated with West Coast cuisine and conservation; several abalone species are protected or restricted due to overharvesting. The plural is typically 'abalones' when referring to multiple animals, though 'abalone' itself can function as a collective or mass noun when referring to the food.
Easily confused with abalone
Bologna is a type of sausage, while abalone is an edible sea snail prized for its shell and meat.